Book Chick City's Zombie Challenge 2012

So I may have bitten off more than I can chew already (pun intended,) and signed up for a reading challenge for the year that can easily fit within my current challenge of reading 60 books this year.

I follow a lot of book reviewers on twitter and got a link to Book Chick City's blog. They're hosting a slew of book challenges for the year, and I decided to sign up for the Zombie one. Here's the guidelines of this fun challenge taken directly from their post:

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012

• Rules: There are FOUR (4) LEVELS to choose from:

- One Chomp: Read 6 Zombie books in 2012

- Two Chomps: Read 12 Zombie books in 2012

- Three Chomps: Read 18 Zombie books in 2012

- Four Chomps: Read 24 Zombie books in 2012

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• You can join at anytime. All books read in 2012 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.

• At the beginning of Jan 2012, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.

• Audiobooks do not count, but all other formats are accepted.

• Only fiction, no non-fiction ;)

• This challenge can crossover to other challenges.

• You don't have to have a blog to join in - for those without a blog but who use Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing etc, you can add the URL to where you track your books. If you don't have a URL at all then choose a name you would like to use and then copy and paste the following link:

http://www.bookchickcity.com/2011/12/sign-up-zombie-challenge-2012.html

I thought this sounded like fun, and it gets me to read outside my comfort zone. I'll be shooting for two chomps of delicious brains. So sign up for yourself, there's the link above to their home page, or the button to the right directly to the challenge itself.

Let me know if you decide to sign up for any challenges this year, I'd love to see what's out there throughout the months to challenge, inspire, or for just plain fun.

~Eileen

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I had a lovely time with the hubby and friends watching movies and playing Rummikub. We did the same last year and hope to have the opportunity to do it again next.

So now it's another year. According to doomsayers, who rarely change their tune, we're all going to die this year because people who've been long dead themselves said so. I wouldn't listen to them, I mean look at their luck...

I'm not one who likes New Years Resolutions. I think that, during the course of the year, you should reflect on what you're doing and if a change needs to be made, just do it. Why wait until the end of the year to change your habits when you can carpe diem and make yourself better now? So with that in mind, I began implementing some changes when I happened to have time during December, and I've never felt better. So here's a list of some things that I've started implementing, and some new things that I'd like to change to make life a little better. Hopefully it will alleviate stress rather than create it:

~Write a page daily in my real journal. The current one I began almost 5 years ago, which is shameful to my standards that I haven't finished it much MUCH sooner.

~I set a goal on Goodreads.com to read 60 books for leisure this year. That translates to 5 books per month, which I don't think is too unreasonable.

~Get involved more with my church, attend more often than I did last year, and contribute more financially.

~Update this blog at least once per week, posting reviews of books or just random posts.

~Keep up posting quotes of my favorite books on tumblr.

~Continue exercising 4-5 times per week and lose at least 20 pounds this year.

~Spend more time with family and call both my parents and my mother-in-law more at least every-other week.

~Eat better - fast food at a maximum of 4x per month.

~Spend more time with friends, not only when people need something from me (or I from them.)

I think these are all things that aren't very difficult and are easily attainable. Plus, I think they'll make daily life more enjoyable in general. What are some things that you would like to change? Did you make a resolution last year that you kept or attained? Tell me about it, I'd love to hear.

~Eileen